Mad Cow, Bird/Swine Flu, Foot and Mouth, E.coli, Salmonella, Ebola, Marburg...

[Ruby Rose]

Both terms describe different aspects of the spread of a disease - the words have nothing to do with the severity of the disease, nor with its outcomes or mortality rate.

A disease can be widespread and transmissible without being dangerous.

Definitions here:
http://www.medterms.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=4751

[mariana]

I was under the impression epidemic was concentrated in a particular region/country, whereas pandemic was spread worldwide.

[Ruby Rose]

Pandemic is used when the disease is present in two or more countries.

[1gentlemaorispirit]

Sorry if my posting was offensive to you in any way 1g. I was trying to be gently ironic. I suspect some of my grandparent's siblings/close relatives may have also died from the flu at that time.

leedsveg

Thank you, Leedsveg, but there's no need to apologise! :) I understood what you meant. Sometimes I don't always explain clearing what I mean.:o

The flu epidemic of the 1918 was to fear and took so many loved ones. What really irritates me is the way, people today fear the slightest thing! Maybe this 'wrapping up in cotton wool' attitude over recent years is doing more harm than good!:hmm:

Bumps and bruises, tears and scares . . . what a wonderful tapestry in makes in life!

[cobweb]

.

[CrunchyMomma]

It's scary because it's new and little is known about it. It's difficult to tell the difference between this strain and seasonal strains, so it's incredibly hard for scientists and doctors to monitor it effectively because there is no way of knowing how many people are actually ill with it, but aren't going to the doctor. It's also somewhat scary because no one has a natural immunity to it, so there is no way of knowing just how easily it can be transmitted from person to person. What Canada, the UK and the US are finding out is that you no longer have to have traveled to Mexico or been in close contact with someone who has in order to catch it. It's spreading the way seasonal flu does, which makes for a long summer here in the Northern Hemisphere - a time in which we should be able to relax and not worry about the flu.

Granted, I'm not buying into the whole "it will be like the Spanish Flu of 1918" hype or conspiracy theories that it was "engineered in a lab to wipe out the Mexicans". I tend to be very cautious during flu season anyway, so *knocks on wood* I'm usually spared.

[Sarabi]

No pig farms are humane...

[herbwormwood]

I heard every year seasonal flu mutates so every year there is a new strain people are not immune to?
Which is why people who get flu jabs are offered a new one each year?

So, does anyone have natural immunity to the latest seasonal flu?
Also is t true this new flu is a mutated combination of
1. swine flu
2. bird flu
3. human flu?
I read a report in the Guardian actual hardcopy newspaper which explained it like this but I can't find it online.

[harpy]

I've read that too herbwormwood (about its being a combination of swine, bird and human flu viruses), but if you read this wikipedia entry http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009_swine_flu_outbreak it seems to be disputed ("other scientists have stated that analysis of the 2009 swine flu (A/H1N1) viral genome suggests that all RNA segments are of swine origin").

So perhaps the Grauniad have pulled the article from their website or something.

[CrunchyMomma]

I heard every year seasonal flu mutates so every year there is a new strain people are not immune to?
Which is why people who get flu jabs are offered a new one each year?

So, does anyone have natural immunity to the latest seasonal flu?
Also is t true this new flu is a mutated combination of
1. swine flu
2. bird flu
3. human flu?
I read a report in the Guardian actual hardcopy newspaper which explained it like this but I can't find it online.

Seasonal flu does mutate, but some people develop a slight immunity to repeated strains that are closely related, which means they can be exposed to influenza and not feel symptoms (at that point they can, however, be a carrier of the virus) or the severity of their symptoms are lessened. Around here, flu shots are only recommended for certain age groups and people considered at risk of having life-threatening complications if they catch the virus (such as people with immune deficiencies).

As far as this strain being a combination of swine, avian and human flu I think that was either A) the initial suspicion or B) a rumor started by conspiracy theorists who have been claiming this is some act of biological warfare perpetrated by the Taliban or the Illuminati trying to control people. :rolleyes:

[Spud Addict]

Case confirmed in my home town.
Link (http://www.lowestoftjournal.co.uk/content/lowestoftjournal/news/story.aspx?brand=LOWOnline&category=NEWS&tBrand=lowonline&tCategory=news&itemid=NOED11%20May%202009%2016%3A21%3A28%3A610)

[CrunchyMomma]

What I cannot understand is why Mexico and the US are the only two countries that have seen consistent human to human transmission. Other countries are having little sporadic cases here and there, reported in people who have traveled to where this flu is present. I wonder why it has been so bad here?

[Frank]

^ Climate conditions perhaps?

Just had a government 'Swine Flu Information' booklet delivered with my mail.

Apparantly, every address in the UK will be receiving one.

[1gentlemaorispirit]

^ Climate conditions perhaps?

Just had a government 'Swine Flu Information' booklet delivered with my mail.

Apparantly, every address in the UK will be receiving one.

Got ours in the post today, too!

[cobweb]

we had ours lat week, so there! :tongue_ani:

[helen105281]

Not got mine yet:(

[CrunchyMomma]

Damn! You all in the UK get informational brochures. All we have received here in the States is conflicting news, conspiracy theories, widespread panic and racially fueled animosity.


Climate conditions perhaps?

I don't know. Influenza typically does not survive long once the weather gets humid here. It tends to peak when it's dry and cold, but fizzles out of existence once it gets warmer. Of course, the CDC cannot understand why we are still considered at the peak of regular flu season here in the States when that usually hits between December and April.

We're about to be into June, when flu is almost never documented, and 50% of lab tested influenza samples are "Novel" (swine flu) H1N1 positive and the rest are the seasonal flu strains. It's unnerving because the news is so grim every day. You think there is a lull then, all of a sudden, there are strange and unexplainable massive outbreaks in various regions.

[cobweb]

http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/2009/06/illinois-public-health-officials-said.html

Just wondering if this mother ^ found all the 'alarm' about swine flu so hilarious - before she died?

[Risker]

What are you getting at cobweb? It wasn't just swine flu anyway, she had a caesarean and pneumonia and flu.

[Ruby Rose]

It seems a tragic story to me - I don't see why you would imagine she found it "hilarious"? Having given birth, and already having a respiratory tract infection, she was a high-risk, highly-vulnerable person. Just the sort of person who would be likely not to survive flu of any description.

[leedsveg]

http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/2009/06/illinois-public-health-officials-said.html

Just wondering if this mother ^ found all the 'alarm' about swine flu so hilarious - before she died?

Hi Cobweb.

I took the trouble to read yours and others previous postings in this thread so I know exactly where you are coming from re swine flu. My take is that you are a caring, concerned person and I, for one, totally respect your point of view.

leedsveg :thumbsup:

[cobweb]

What are you getting at cobweb? It wasn't just swine flu anyway, she had a caesarean and pneumonia and flu.


just that certain people seem to think its ok to make a joke of swine flu when its really not all that 'hilarious' is what i'm getting at.

[Ruby Rose]

I took the trouble to read yours and others previous postings in this thread


certain people seem to think its ok to make a joke of swine flu

I have also read all the posts on this thread, and I cannot see any that make a joke of swine flu. You are entitled of course to interpret posts differently.

There are a number of posters (me included) who feel that the (media) hysteria about swine flu is misplaced and ultimately unhelpful in global management of a disease. This is quite a different thing, as I'm sure you can both see.

[Risker]

TBH, even if there were jokes about swine flu in this thread it wouldn't bother me, to many, making light of serious situations is a coping mechanism. Otherwise we'd all spend our whole lives being miserable about everything. I don't think anyone would get angry at someone making a joke involving "normal" flu yet that kills waaaaaay more than swine flu ever has.

[Kate1978]

There are a number of posters (me included) who feel that the (media) hysteria about swine flu is misplaced and ultimately unhelpful in global management of a disease. This is quite a different thing, as I'm sure you can both see.

Indeed. What I find strange is that the media was full of hysteria about swine flu 3 weeks ago when there were 30 cases in the UK, but now there are 500+ it gets merely a passing mention if that. Could it be that they have now seized upon more juicy stories such as which MP is having their moat cleaned on a given day? :rolleyes: